


Christmas Wishes

by SamuelJames



Category: Sirens (UK)
Genre: Community: comment_fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 02:16:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelJames/pseuds/SamuelJames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wishes can come true but sometimes you have to settle for the economy version.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Wishes

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Christmas Wishes  
> Pairing/Characters: Ashley Greenwick/Stuart Bayldon, Rachid Mansaur  
> Rating: 18+  
> Summary: Wishes can come true but sometimes you have to settle for the economy version.  
> Notes: Written for the comment_fic prompt Sirens, Ashley+(/) Stuart, Christmas.  
> Disclaimer: Sirens is the property of its creators. No copyright infringement is intended.  
> Archiving Information: Please do not archive elsewhere on the net.

"So which of you is putting up the Christmas decorations?"

Stuart shrugs, "probably Ashley. It's his house and I still have my own place."

Rachid nods and gestures with his fork, "makes sense since he's the main gay."

"There isn't a decorating gene, Rachid," says Ash. "Not all gay men have good taste or could do your hair for you."

Stuart interrupts, "what do you mean the main gay? I'm bisexual as you well know because you keep making jokes."

"Careful, Ash, he's planning a getaway, covering all his bases."

"Shut up, Rachid," they chorus together.

Stuart sips his tea trying to think of a casual way of asking about their plans. "So, Ash, are you going to your mum's for Christmas?"

"No. I put myself on call. I don't mind letting the lads with families have Christmas as long as I have New Year's Eve off."

"Good night for single guys?" Rachid asks.

Ashley nods. "Last year I met this guy in a club, just my type. Saw in the new year with an excellent shag. I swear I was a little bit jelly legged afterwards."

Stuart doesn't say anything. Just because they're regularly sleeping together doesn't give him any claim over Ashley. The implied slight about his perceived sexual shortcomings shouldn't hurt but it does. He's shorter than Ash for a start and nowhere near as built as the guys Ash usually likes but he's enjoyed their sex and thought it was mutual. He lets Rachid and Ashley fill the rest of their tea break with inane chatter and keeps his comments work related till the end of shift.

Despite his well known views on greeting card companies and the social construct of every life event being capitalised on, he finds himself looking at cards after work. He picks up a boyfriend one, wishing it wouldn't make Ash run a mile. Putting a label on what they have would probably bring an end to the whole thing. Some of the cards have hetero couples on them but some just have presents under a tree or stockings hung on a fireplace. He wants all that with his best mate, the same best mate he woke up with this morning and who kissed him after breakfast. He buys a box of cheap cards in case anyone at work gives him one and after some indecision buys the boyfriend one. He imagines a little judgemental Stuart on his shoulder as he pays but the thought of Ash wanting the card makes him feel all warm inside.

Later that night they watch tv with Ash's head on Stuart's lap. It's almost wonderfully domestic, something Stuart used to swear he'd never want. "I suppose I should get my tree up soon."

"Me too. I used to love helping as a kid and there was so much excitement about turning the lights on. When I was thirteen I had my first big crush. I loved sitting in our front room in the dark with just the tree lights on, imagining being kissed."

"After my dad left Christmas was a bit of a non-event. One year I got the Boulder Hill playset from MASK. Me and my dad played with it for hours. It was never the same without him."

Ash turns onto his back and looks up at him. Stuart's stomach does some flippy thing that he can't entirely put down to biological responses. Ash stretches up to kiss him and it's perfect, a moment forever frozen in his mind. His next words will either fix things or fuck them up royally. He presses his lips against Ash's a final time and pulls away.

"I know labels are for clothes but what are we?"

Ash frowns. "You're my best mate, Stuart."

"I guess I'm more traditional than I thought. When I think of you with another guy I'm jealous. I don't know a way to word this that won't freak you out but it's been seven months and I guess I thought I'd become more than a mate you sleep with. I can't share you, Ash, and it's not an ultimatum."

"What brought this on?"

"I wanted to spend Christmas with you and do stupid mushy things and seduce you in nothing but a Santa hat. I know it's all chemicals and pheromones and shit but I'm in love."

"Fuck!"

"Not the response I hoped for." Stuart pushes Ash's head off his lap and gets up. It doesn't take him long to grab his coat and keys but long enough that Ash could have stopped him leaving if he'd wanted to.

He's not that hungry but he ends up making tea and toast when he gets home. Orange marmalade on toast is his comfort food of choice, he had it every day for three years after his dad left. He used to panic if his mum hadn't bought a new jar when the old one started running low. The tea warms him slightly but the Christmas music on the radio makes him jab the power button angrily. He's looking for a DVD to watch when there's a knock at the door.

When Stuart opens the door Ash is standing there with an A4 pad. Someone must have buzzed him in. He takes a pair of glittery antlers on a headband and puts them on.

"Couldn't find a Santa hat."

He opens the A4 pad and gives Stuart the time to read each page before turning it.

_I was far from the perfect gent_

_My response was inelegant_

_My words were not eloquent_

_So out the door you went._

The final page says. _I'm Sorry. Please let me come in_.

"Have you been watching Love Actually again?"

Ash smiles, "so can I come in?"

Stuart lets him past and closes the door slowly. He's not ready to have his heart stomped on just yet so offers to make tea as a stalling tactic. He almost drops the cups a few minutes later when he comes through from the kitchen and Ashley is now wearing nothing but the antlers.

He tilts his head and bites his lip. "Was this the kind of thing you had in mind?"

Ash is gorgeous, no question but Stuart needs facts. "What does this mean?"

"I'll be your boyfriend. Never properly been anyone's boyfriend and it scares the hell out of me but I really like you, Stuart. We're best mates who have great sex. Cards on the table, I did go online to find someone but a shag wouldn't have solved anything. I kept thinking about how nice it is to always have you there. I'll probably fuck up, I can almost guarantee it but we should try."

Stuart is still wary. Too many years as just friends have given him a lot of first-hand knowledge about Ash's preferences. "I do know you and know I'm not your type. I didn't plan on falling for you, it just kind of happened. Maybe I've watched too many stupid films because I really wanted it to be reciprocal. I knew getting into this that I wasn't what you were looking for and shouldn't have stormed off earlier but a clean break is best."

"I'll see you at work tomorrow."

Stuart shrugs. "You know what I mean. No more casual sex."

"Formal sex then? I want to say I love you but I don't know if I do. I like you a lot, more than I intended to. I like having you make me lunch before a late shift and falling into bed with me after work when we need to sleep. I actually enjoy some of those bloody nature programmes you like, well enjoy seeing how much you get into them. On the way over here Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy came up on shuffle and I thought of you. You've got me listening to Queen, there's some of your clothes at mine. I bought that green Listerine you like and there's a jar of orange marmalade in the press that won't get used without you. I suppose that without realising it we had kind of already merged. Is that love? I mean it could be but I shouldn't say it till I truly know. We're good together, that I do know for sure."

"What about New Year's Eve?"

"Well maybe if you're not working we could spend it together. It won't be in some crowded club or a toilet cubicle but you've made me see the appeal of a bed. I was so angry with you for saying you love me. I do love you, Stuart, definitely as a friend and perhaps maybe more. I think what I'm feeling is probably love but like I said I shouldn't go saying it till I'm sure. Where's your phone?"

Stuart takes out his phone.

"Call me?"

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Stuart does and Ash gestures to his jeans on the couch. Stuart can't help the smile when he looks at the display. He does mean something to Ash.

"I never intended telling you but I know you'll remember exactly what I wanted in an emergency contact."

"If I recall rightly you said it was someone you definitely didn't want to shag."

"I didn't, then. It's you, Stuart, the person I trust most and you deserve to know. I'm a bit cold. Should I get dressed or what?"

Stuart smiles and grabs Ash's hand to pull him forward. He doesn't hold back on the kiss and grips the back of Ash's head holding him in place for a forceful kiss. He feels Ash wrap his arms round him.

They end up on the couch and then on the floor. Ash pulls his jeans down from the couch and gives Stuart a condom and a sachet of lube.

"You were fairly confident that your bad poem would work then."

Ash grins that smile of his, the one that makes him look simultaneously innocent and up for mischief. "Always pays to be prepared."

It ends up being nowhere near the best sex they've ever had but Ash keeps telling him to go faster and harder so Stuart does. Being face to face allows him to see Ash's reactions and he slows a little when Ash winces.

"I'm fine, Stuart."

"Rough I can do but not pain."

Ash pulls him down for a kiss and assures Stuart he's fine.

Ash comes way before him and he ends up wanking to finish himself off with Ash kissing and touching him. When he finally comes Ash laughs.

"I'm glad you haven't put your tree up yet."

Stuart smiles as he disposes of the condom. "Why?"

"Carpet burns are bad enough without pine needles digging into your arse."

"I have a tweezers and I know how to use it."

They laugh together and had this been the romantic movie of Stuart's dreams they would have kissed with fairy lights twinkling on the tree. Instead he shivers and has to get dressed. "You staying over?"

"I'd like that."

Stuart wants to reply that he does too but instead he makes more tea. They watch two episodes of Road Wars before heading to bed. Lying next to Ash he thinks about the card again and smiles. It wasn't such a bad purchase after all.


End file.
